What is my dream ?
by Fricat P
Summary: What was is dream?That's the million dollars question. He thought he knew the answer but when it was finally aked, he found out he didn't. And he needs to figure it out... Taking place after the events in Tak the Hideous New Girl. I don't own Invader Zim. It's my very first FanFic, please enjoy it and post a review.
1. Dreams

**Hey guys! Just a few words before starting my story.**

**This is my first fanfic. So it might be really bad and I apologize for that.**

**I just wanted to say… PLEASE post a review. I write my stories for my own pleasure but also to improve my writing skills and my English (I'm still learning it).**

**Thanks for reading my little message and enjoy the story. ^^**

"Urg! It's the strange kid! Don't come near us!"

Skool… He hated skool. (_I know it's spelled school but it's written this way in the cartoon so I kept it_)

Well, at least there was his sister, Gaz. Even if she wasn't nice AT ALL, she'd never run away from him. Just like him, she didn't have any friend. It wasn't that she couldn't make some. She was just too absorbed in her video games to care about the rest of the world.

And here they were, alone together, at a table for lunch. Around them, others kids were playing, laughing, running or doing their… things (some really had weird behaviors). But the boy was staring at a particular kid, one with green skin, blue eyes and a pink backpack, and who was inspecting his food, hoping it was edible.

'So Zim, what are you up to today?' thought Dib.

Unlike the others, he was well aware of this green boy true nature. He was an alien, an Irken Invader. And as the –self-proclaimed– Sole Defender of Earth, he had the duty to stop Zim, at all coast. Well, that was what he thought but for some times now, he's been wondering if the humans deserved to be saved. After all, nobody ever believed him. They were all calling him crazy, not only at skool but also at home. His father, the _great_ professor Membrane, was ashamed of his son. He didn't even acknowledge his talent for sciences and inventions. It was really depressing.

He sighed. What was the point in investigating Zim if it was to be called crazy again and laughed at. He reported his attention on the "food" in his plate (man, is that even from earth?). He looked at his sister, still playing her game.

"Gaz, can I talk to you about something?" He tried to put away the console.

"BACK OFF, FREAK! Touch my Game Slave II and I will KILL you so quickly than you won't have time for regrets!"

"Ok! Ok! I'll let you play but could you listen at least?"

"Speak. But don't give me one of your monologues. Be short."

"Well, I was wondering… If your Vampire Piggy Hunter wasn't a game but real life, would you still play the hero who turns these nosferapigs into bacon?"

"No way."

"Huh? But why?"

" 'Cause it wouldn't be a game anymore."

"But it would be exactly like in your game!"

Dib shivered. Gaz just set her game on pause and put it away.

'Oh no… she's MAD! I'm so, SO dead'

But Gaz didn't jump at her brother's throat but sighed instead.

"Dib. Do you know why I love games so much?"

" 'Cause it's fun? 'Cause our dad is never home and mom is… is… well you know, and it was a way to fulfill the void they left, like my obsession with paranormal…"

"You're wrong. I don't love games because "it's fun" or for some psychological reasons. I love them because it's not real. Have you ever looked around you? This world is trashed. Humans are a bunch of idiots. Everybody is so self-centered they can't even take care of their planet. Look at our city! It's polluted, dirty and unhealthy. It's a living hell. I decided that if I have to live in a world, it will be in the game world. So if it becomes reality, I won't be the hero because it won't be my world anymore."

"I think I understand."

"By the way, didn't you just say your paranormal obsession was to fulfill mom and dad's absence?"

"Well… y'know… dad never took care of me, like he does with you. I wanted him to notice me so I tried to impress him with scientific facts. But dad is the best in all "serious" sciences. So I chose one he never studied, the paranormal sciences."

"I see." She grinned and started playing again." You're really a freak…"

"You're mean." He laughed. "But thanks for listening to your crazy big brother. It was… nice of you."

"Don't get used to it. You're part of the bunch of idiots."

**-Line break-**

"Today, we will discuss about dreams. What is your dream Keef?"

"My dream is to raise squirrels!"

"What a lovely dream you have. Unfortunately, one characteristic of the dreams is that they are easily smashed, crushed, torn apart and destroyed. You kids go around speaking of your silly dreams, hoping luck to each other but you forget that dreams NEVER come true. They are illusions, chimeras driving you to a future where nobody knows your existence. Follow your dreams and you'll become no one. So Keef, you'll never raise squirrels!"

Mrs. Bitters' classes were awful. Each day, she tormented pupils, annihilating their hopes and belief in everything.

Dib was only half-listening. He was still thinking about his talk with his sister. The world he belonged… Was Earth the wrong one?

Mrs. Bitters was still questioning her poor students. She then stopped on Zim.

"And you, Zim. What is your dream?"

"Dream?" The green boy seemed confused. "What is the thing you earthlings call "dream"? Is it some kind of weapon or illness?"

"No Zim. A dream is a goal. It's what you want to accomplish."

"What I want to accomplish? Like the mission that was given to me?"

"If you want… But hurry up! I don't have all day."

'I can't reveal the Tallests' orders' thought Zim. 'This question comes really bad. If I tell a lie, the dumb Dib will argue and expose me. But if I tell the truth, I will expose myself. Was this trap Dib's work? Unless Mrs. Bitters is also against me?'

"Come on Zim! Answer me!"

"Hem… My dream is… my goal is… to crush others' hope!"

"To crush… others' hope…? You want to become a teacher?" Mrs. Bitters was smiling, thing that any kid had ever seen before.

"Huh… Yeah! Of course! Teacher! That's my dream!"

'Well done Zim. You've preserved your cover.' He grinned of satisfaction. 'But it's strange. The Dib boy didn't say anything.'

He turned around to observe the black-haired boy. Dib was staring outside and didn't paid attention to him at all.

"Well. All left is Dib… So Mr. Membrane, what is your dream?"

"Oh… No need to ask him. His dream is surely to find some monsters freakier than himself." said a blonde girl.

His dream. He never really thought about it. Was it to reveal Zim's whereabouts? Or was it to impress his father and be acknowledged? He didn't know.

"Silence children. Let's hear what Dib has to say."

"Actually… I don't know what my dream is yet, Mrs. Bitters."

All the class gasped at the same time. This was the most unexpected event of the day, more surprising that the teacher's smile. The crazy Dib who always claimed he wanted to become a paranormal investigator actually didn't know what was his dream.

Dib, him, was staring outside again, lost in his thoughts. To Zim, his behaviors were very suspicious. This needed an investigation.

**Well, here's the beginning. Hope you liked it. I'll wait for feedback before continuing the story so please post a review. ^^**


	2. Stalking

**Hey guys!**

**Thank you for your reviews. I'm happy you liked my story (you wouldn't be reading this if it wasn't the case). **

**Unfortunately, I'll be taking my exams for the two next month so I won't be able to write this FanFic until July.**

**I'm sorry about that but I hope you'll still enjoy this story.**

Zim started his investigations right after skool. He followed Dib all his way home, taking note of all reactions that seemed unusual to him, which was approximately everything he saw.

And then, when Dib encountered his neighbors' pets: 'The subject patted the head of three cats and two dogs. Is it a sing to his animal soldiers? Is he raising an army against me?' Or when he left the grocery: 'The subject bought a can of melon soda. Is he testing new weapons? Or creating a poison to assassinate me?'

Zim eventually grew bored of this. But he couldn't leave the Dib boy like that without knowing what he was scheming. He then got an idea. He picked up his transmitter and called his base.

"GIR, it's your master. Meet with me immediately."

"But Master, my show is going to…"

"THAT'S AN ORDER!"

The robot sighed and obeyed his master's command. In only a minute he was by Zim's side.

"GIR, I have a special and secret mission for you. You have to survey the Dib boy and report to me every suspicious actions or events."

"Oww! But Master! What about my show? I reeeeally want to see it."

"How dare you… This mission is ABSOLUTELY necessary in order to take over this puny little planet. It is your duty as an Irken SIR to fulfill this surveillance report. And… I'll buy you a brand new piggy if you do it properly!"

"A new piggy? YEAH! Count on me, Master!"

And with that he happily ran after the boy in black coat. As he watched the little robot, Zim wondered if it really was a good idea to send GIR. 'Huuh… I'm sure he'll be fine.' He returned to his base to think of a new invasion strategy, in calm and peace.

**-Line Break-**

For a little while, Dib had been hearing a faint song behind him and it was starting to get on his nerves. All these "doom doom doom" were driving him crazy (more than he already was). He turned around to know where it was coming from. There was standing on two feet a familiar green and black dog. When the boy spotted it, it quickly tried to hide behind a wood slick.

Dib rolled his eyes. "Y'know, I can see you GIR."

"Oww… How did you know? I was hiding." He threw the stick away and shoot in a rock.

The boy rolled his eyes again. "What do ya want?"

"Master told me to follow you. He's really worried y'know? He wants to know what's wrong with you."

"I see." Dib walked away and headed home. The robot, next to him, trotted carelessly. Since he had been found out, he didn't need to hide anymore.

"Hey! Want to hear the Doom song? ̴Dooom de doom, doom doom de doom ̴"

So it was THAT. This annoying noise was made by this stupid robot. It was more irritating now that he was walking alongside the kid. Dib clenched his teeth. 'Bear it' he thought 'bear it until you get home. He'll go back to Zim after.'

Finally, and luckily, they soon arrived at Dib's house.

"Well… It was nice to… be with you but you should go back home. I'm sure Zim's worried about you."

" No, no, no. Master said I have to survey you. So I'll stay here aaaaall night."

The boy gasped. "You're going watch me until tomorrow?" The idea was less than pleasant. GIR was armless but extremely clumsy (and annoying). If he entered his or his father's laboratory, he might accidentally kill everybody in the city.

"Yup! I'm going to be with you until Master calls me back."

The kid had to think fast. How to get rid of the robot? Blast him? Or stun him? Not a good idea. The metallic nuisance was practically indestructible. He then thought of something.

"But that won't do GIR. Dogs can't inter my house."

"Hun? But outside the base, I have to wear my disguise."

"I know… I know… But my dad HATES dogs. If he sees one in the house he will ANIHILATE it."

"I don't want to be annihilated but Master's orders… and my new piggy…"

"Don't worry, I have an idea. I'll survey myself until tomorrow and make you a report with everything I've done. Like that, you'll fulfill your mission without being destroyed. Right?"

GIR thought about it a little (well, it seemed he was thinking). He then gave Dib a pure smile. "You're a cool guy. Thank you! I can go back home and watch my show!"

He was heading to his base when Dib stopped him. "YOU CAN'T GO BACK! I mean… Your show has already started. It would be pointless to go watch it now because… all the best scene were in the beginning. And… I'm sure Zim recorded it for you."

'If GIR go back to Zim, he'll understand I tricked him and he will come here. I have to prevent GIR to head home.'

"But if I can't go back to Master's base, where can I go?"

"How about… You go… Eat a pizza? At Bloaty's Pizza Hog! I treat you… to reward you for being such a good supporter to Zim."

"Really? YEAH! I'm going to eat pizza! I'm going to eat pizza!"

'Alright. Now he won't go to Zim and I can get rid of him. It's perfect.'

Dib gave 20$ to the robot and sent him off. Being finally alone, he rushed to his room and locked the door. He looked at the window. GIR was trotting happily before tuning in another street and disappearing from sight. The boy sighed in relief. He was finally alone.

He observed his room. It was full of mystical-hunting gadgets, books and posters of strange creatures and a single bookshelf isolated on a wall. Unlike the ones on his desk and on the floor, the books on the shelf were perfectly ordered and dusty, as if they had never been touched.

Dib had still in mind his talk with Gaz and Mrs. Bitters' lesson. All these things about dream and world to belong were confusing him. What did he want to do? To become?

He stood up in front of the bookshelf. Just before him, there was a book slightly different from the others. He was a little taller and darker. Dib pulled it out. With a squeak, the shelf moved to reveal a secret passage. It leaded to Dib's lab, the place he was the more comfortable to think.

**GIR ! 3 He's my favorite character in Invader Zim (he's dumb but really cute). I love him. I can't possibly write a story without including him.**

**Once again, sorry for the two months wait for the nest chapter.**


	3. Double Break In

**Hey guys! I'm back from hell! **

**I have something to say before starting. I want to honor a friend of mine who just passed away. He has been with me in all bad moments for the last seven years. When I was happy or sad, he was there to me. R.I.P. My dear laptop.**

**So yeah… my laptop died. Literally. It won't turn on. Ever again. I was lucky to have all my data and works on a flashdrive but it's over for it. And it explains (mostly) why I'm so late for this release. **

**The other reason is that... I had a Blackout. Too much stress because of family problems, skool starting at the same time and other stuff complicated. Oh, and I was really sick. ON SUMMER VACATION! The universe just hates me...**

**Anyway... I'm terribly and sincerely sorry for this totally unintentional hiatus. As an apology, I will post the rest of the story in one go. (you've waited long enough ^^)**

His laboratory was unexpectedly normal. No weird creatures in jar, no cage for possible specimen of monster or alien, no dissection table… only computers, screens and the remains of a spaceship in the center of the room. For weeks Dib has been trying to repair it but he's never been able to understand its mechanic.

"Aargh! It doesn't work. It doesn't work! IT DOESN'T WORK!" Dib shouted "No matter what I do, I can't make it work again! It's hopeless... I'll never be able to repair it..."

He kicked in an empty can that was lying near him.

"How does Zim manage to repair his gears while being so stupid!? Wait a minute! That's it! If the stupid Zim has the same technology as Tak's ship, he might have some sort of manual or something like that. I 'just' need to sneak in his lair. Easier said than done..."

**-Line Break-**

7:50 AM. Zim was near the skool's gate, waiting the human boy that tricked GIR yesterday. The stupid robot came back in the middle of the night, talking about a pizza and how cool Dib was. This was more suspicious than before and Zim was determined to confront the earthling and make him reveal his plans. He then spotted Gaz arriving, playing her game as always.

"YOU! The Dib boy's relative! Where is your brother?" he shouted at her.

"Don't know." she replied without looking "Already gone when I woke up."

And she continued on her way.

Zim waited for another 10 minutes before finally going to class but the boy was still missing. It was getting more and more suspicious. It needed more investigations.

**-Line Break-**

While Zim was stuck in skool, Dib was breaking in the alien's lab. The hard part was to pass the security on the outside. Once inside, it'll be a piece of cake. Dib decides to do an aerial approach instead of a frontal one. He climbed up one of the neighboring houses and entered trough the top window.

"Well, the hard part is done. That leaves the easy one." Dib said to himself.

He made his was to the computer room. The computer's AI immediately reacted, starting an intruder alarm but Dib instantly plugged his laptop in and sent his program. Originally, it was a spy virus he created to survey Zim's activity but, since the alien was so obvious about his schemes, he didn't judge necessary to use it and even thought about erasing it since it was useless. But now he was extremely glad he didn't.

The program spread rapidly through the system and found the file about flying engines. Dib copied it on his hardware and unplugged his laptop. He than made his way to the exit and came home, proud of his succeeded mission. Unaware of him, a silent alarm was still ringing in Zim's lair and it keeped sending an alert message to the Irken.

**-Line Break-**

Zim's alarm never stopped ringing for the rest of the day. He knew someone had broke in his base but ha was stuck in skool with no escape.

As soon as the last bell rang, he ran out of class and headed home. Without paying attention to his stupid robot servant, he went into his lair and found his computer hacked. Resetting the AI, he looked at the footage of the security camera. It was empty. Whoever invaded his hideout knew about his security system. Zim then proceed to scan the entire base and informatic system to find any anomalies. There, hiding into one of GIR's game file, he found a spy virus. Analysing it, he discovered his code and the files it had stolen. The alien linked it to the only person on this miserable planet who would dare to spy an Irken.

"So you wanted to know more about Irken's ship and their mechanics?" Zim said mischievously. "Well I can help you with that..."

Zim went back upstairs and yelled.

"GIR! PREPARE MY SNEAKING IN EQUIPMENT! WE VISIT SOMEONE TONIGHT!"

**-Line Break-**

Dib run off to his lab. The new information on his laptop will help him finally finish his repairs on Tak's broken machine. He will finally be able to fly and fight Zim more efficiently.

The boy immediately started his work. It was way easier with actual instructions.

A few hours of work later, the ship was fully repaired and as good as new. Dib looked proudly at his job, exited about all the new places in galaxy he would be able to explore. But time caught up with him as well as exhaustion. Dead tired, the boy went up to his room and collapsed on the bed. After so much hard work, he deserved some rest.

As soon as Dib fell asleep, Zim broke in his room. Silently, he scanned the walls to find Dib's lab entrance. He knew that the boy had one but never cared about it before. What threat a human child can be after all?

The scan revealed the hidden passage behind he bookshelf. Zim inspected it and quickly found the opening mechanism. In no time, he was in the laboratory, walking to the small spaceship. Pulling his tools from his backpack, he put on an evil grin.

"You're going to have the space trip of your live, Dib..."

**That's it for the third chapter. Only one more to go. (Yeah... it's gonna be a 4 chapter story)**


	4. My Dream

Dib woke up early that morning. He was exited, more that the time his dad took him and Gaz to a NASA base. Today he was going to travel into space.

He prepared all the supplies he'll need for his journey: food, water, book to kill time, and a printed copy of the ship's blueprint, in case he needs to make some repairs. He took a spare set of clothes and the space suit he got at the NASA. He was ready to go, no regrets left behind him.

Dib placed the ship on the street, ready to take off. He verified the parameters, checked the fuel level and tested the reactors. All was okay.

"It's time Dib. You're gonna go on the journey of your life..."

He pushed the start button. The ship levitated a few feet above the ground and quickly dashed into space. Once there, it slowed down. All around, the boy could see darkness illuminated by millions of little light points representing the millions of stars in the universe.

It was the most beautiful sigh Dib has ever see. Last time he went into space, it was to stop Zim from destroying the Earth. The kid hadn't had the chance to enjoy the view like he was now.

The sound of a door opening behind him attracted his attention. Gaz's head popped out of the maintenance trapdoor.

"Can't you be more quiet Dork?" Gaz hissed. "I bumped my head into the wall because of you!"

"Gaz!? What are you doing here?" Dib asked in shock.

"My class is doing a repetition for the skool's show." She said with disgust. "You think I would accept to play a pink bunny? So I ditched skool and hided in your lab."

"Wait! You know about my lab?"

"Well duh! Where do you think I download my games?" Gaz replied. "And it's the last place people would search for me." She added.

Dib didn't find anything to say in respond. Thinking his sister and him had the same feeling in a lab was astonishing. Dib was concerned and pleased at the same time. Finally he and her had something in common.

"Anyway... Where are we?" Gaz asked nonchalantly.

"In deep space. Between Uranus and Neptune if I'm not mistaken."

Suddenly, the ship started trembling and went on red alert. A video message appeared on the screen.

"_Well well well... If it isn't the Dib boy." _Zim's voice echoed. The alien smirked on the screen_. "I'm sure you're enjoying your little space trip; space trip that was possible due to the data you STOLE from me." _Zim hit his desk in anger but quickly regained his calm and evilly smiled at the boy._ "But I don't mind. It's not like you will come back to Earth anyway. MUWAHAHAHAHA! ZIM IS VICTORIOUS ONCE AGAIN!" _

The screen went black. Dib was red from frustration. Zim had sabotaged his ship. He tried to maneuver it but he couldn't stabilize the vehicle. Suddenly, everything stopped. All the screens and captors went out, the ship was stranded in space.

"Argh!" Dib cried in frustration. "That little..."

Gaz stared at her brother before returning he attention to her game while Dib frantically examined the commends.

After e few minutes , he gave up and sat down with a sigh.

"So I presume you can't repair the ship." It wasn't a question.

"No, he did it too well. I can't even find the source of the problem. He really won this time." Dib sighed in defeat.

"Well… I don't care. My batteries will run out in approximately 4 hours. You have until then to bring us home or I swear I'll be the one that survive the longest." She barked at him.

"And How can I do that? I don't have tools! I don't have plans! Heck I don't even understand half the mechanics! I had to stole some of Zim's information to repair the ship! Wait a sec..."

His widened in realization. "That's it! I have Zim's plan of the ship. So if I can compare them to what's on the commends… Here! This ship isn't on the plans. It must be Zim's. So if I take it off."

He unplugged the ship and the spaceship turned back on. Gaz smirked (because she never smile) at her brother's exited glee. He did it! He repaired (kind of…) the ship. And now they can go home.

While Dib was driving them back on Earth, Gaz turned to him.

"I think I know what can be your dream..."

–**-Little line break- **

Zim was happy today. No he stil haven't conquered Earth. The food was still poison for him and the other kids were still annoying as hell.

No he was happy because today, the Dib boy wouldn't be there to stop his plan. So he was siting in his seat, huming a happy song he had heard on the radio with a goofy smile. Then it happened.

Some one slammed his hand on his desk. He turned to glare at the person only to be utterly shocked. Dib was just in front of him, an evil smirk on his face.

"Hello Zim… You seem quite happy today. Anything good happened?"

"You! How…? When…?" Zim was speechless. His plan was PERFECT! How could this mere human be here?

As if he knew what the Irken was thinking, he took out a ship of his pocket and placed it on Zim's desk. "I believe this is yours? Found it in my ship. Be careful next time..." Then he went to his own seat.

If Zim was happy before, now he was furious. How will he put on his plan if the boy was here. He couldn't risk anything today, the boy was too alert after the spaceship sabotage. His conquer will have to wait…

"Shut up and sit now, you bunch of monkeys!" was Mrs. Bitter's 'good morning'. "Take your book and start studying in silence!"

Dib rose his hand. "Hum… Mrs. Bitter?" She groaned in response. "Hum… Yesterday we talked about dreams and I didn't have one but… Now I've found it! My dream I mean..."

Mrs. Bitter rose an eyebrow and motioned for him to continue.

"In fact, I didn't know what my dream was because I was already realizing it. You all guessed that I would want to become a paranormal investigator and… You were right. The only thing is that I'm already becoming one. And so my dream would be to be acknowledged as one by kicking some alien butts out of our Earth."

He turned to Zim while saying the last part, as if telling him 'I'm gonna win this war'. Zim smirked evilly at him in response. 'Bing it on!'

**Aaand FINISH! Not exactly the story I had in mind but… I like it! Again, sorry for hiatus of the… almost 1 year! Man this depression was hard. **

**Anyway… Thanks for the one who will read it. And especially to the ones who had the GREAT patience to wait for the update. You guys are the best. Hope you liked it. :)**


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